Bill Lennard
{{Short description|English darts player (1934–1996)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2013}}
{{Infobox darts player
| name = Bill Lennard
| image =
| fullname =
| nickname = "Mister Consistency"
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1934|06|21|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Manchester, England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1996|08|06|1934|06|21|df=yes}}
| death_place = Heywood, England
| since = 1954
| darts =
| laterality = Right-handed
| music =
| BDO = 1975–1982
| PDC =
| currentrank =
| BDO World = Quarter Final: 1980
| World Masters = Semi Final: 1975
| World Darts Trophy =
| Int. Darts League =
| PDC World =
| Matchplay =
| Grand Prix =
| UK Open =
| Vegas =
| Premier League =
| results = {{aligned table|leftright=y|fullwidth=y|class=nowrap
| News of the World Championship | 1976
| British Matchplay | 1976
| Swedish Open | 1976
| WDF World Cup Team | 1979
}}
| achievement =
}}
Bill Lennard (21 June 1934 – 6 August 1996) was an English professional darts player from Manchester.
Darts career
Lennard played county darts for Lancashire{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-heywood-advertiser-and-general-famil/158055713/ |title=Bill Lennard was bang-on target |publisher=Heywood Advertiser |date=12 November 1987 }} and there are some minor county events that use his name in memorial tournaments.{{cite news |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/other-sport/rounds-the-boards-1120560 |title=Rounds the Boards {{!}} DARTS: The players from the Pubmaster Heywood League will honour one of the best players ever to wear an England shirt on Sunday when they compete for the annual Billy Lennard Memorial Trophy |orig-date=23 May 2005 |date=21 January 2013 |website=www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk |publisher=Manchester Evening News }}
He enjoyed a successful year in 1976 by winning the prestigious News of the World Darts Championship (representing the Cotton Tree Inn, Manchester), the British Matchplay and the Swedish Open. The World Professional Darts Championship did not begin until two years later, Lennard made his debut at the championships in 1979 but lost his first round match to Tony Clark.{{cite web |url=https://dartswdf.com/players/bill-lennard |title=Bill Lennard |website=dartswdf.com |publisher=World Darts Federation |access-date=November 4, 2024 }}
His best run at the World Championships came in 1980 when he reached the quarter-finals, but was beaten by Tony Brown. Tony Clark again beat Lennard in the first round in 1981 and his last appearance in the World Championship came in 1982 when he was beaten by John Lowe.
Lennard was part of the England team which won the WDF World Cup in 1979.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/920599575/?match=1&terms=%22bill%20lennard |title=Tony Takes Gorton by Storm |first=Bob |last=Broadbent |publisher=Manchester Evening News |date=10 August 1996 }}
World Championship results
=BDO=
- 1979: First round (lost to Tony Clark 0–2)
- 1980: Quarter finals (lost to Tony Brown 0–3)
- 1981: First round (lost to Tony Clark 1–2)
- 1982: First round (lost to John Lowe 0–2)
Career finals
=Independent major finals: 1 (1 title)=
| class="sortable wikitable"
!style="width:80px;"| Outcome !style="width:20px;"| No. !style="width:50px;"| Year !style="width:250px;"| Championship !style="width:200px;"| Opponent in the final !style="width:70px;"| Score |
| style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner
| 1. | 1976 | News of the World Championship | {{flagicon|WAL}} Leighton Rees | 2–0 (l) |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.DartsDatabase.co.uk/PlayerDetails.aspx?playerKey=1804 Bill Lennard Darts Database profile]
- {{YouTube|070OfzZDvgI|1976 News of The World Final DARTS}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lennard, Bill}}
Category:English darts players
Category:British Darts Organisation players
Category:Sportspeople from Manchester
{{england-sport-bio-stub}}